PACCAR BLOG

PACCAR AUSTRALIA A FINALIST IN AHRI’S PRESTIGIOUS HR AWARDS PROGRAM

PACCAR Australia has been named one of five finalists in the category of Marshall Goldsmith Talent Development Award, awarded by the Australian HR Institute in its annual HR awards program.

This award recognises the company that best demonstrates outstanding initiatives and strategies in the developing talent within its organisation and that demonstrated excellence in supporting the development of talent and capability for specific groups in the workforce.

Robert Brierley, PACCAR Australia’s HR Director, said, “we are pleased to be a finalist in this category, which recognises the work we have done to develop the next generation of Kenworth employees.”

“In 2010 we identified the need to develop our capability in robotics and mechatronics, software engineering, electrical design, leadership, supplier quality management and logistics and have done so through more than 200,000 hours of training, skills development, rotation projects, promotion and coaching to fill the gap that will be left by the expected four percent annual retirement of our professional workforce by 2020 and the advances in technology in our truck design going forward.”

The gap left by retiring employees means that much of the talent representing the organisation’s current capability and knowledge would be leaving during a crucial five year period of change and product development.

“Not only is a large percentage of our professional workforce retiring by 2020, but we are seeing revolutions in truck design and our team needs to be at the forefront of that change. Between 2015 and 2020 PACCAR Australia will have invested more in product development than the previous 40 years.”

To implement the changes needed, PACCAR Australia developed a program that involved training, skills development, rotation projects, promotion and coaching.

PACCAR Australia’s business model differs from traditional volume-based manufacturing, typified by the passenger vehicle manufacturers. Investment in high volume technology and machinery costing hundreds of millions of dollars cannot be realistically amortised across highly varied but low volume content truck manufacturing. Kenworth Trucks locally custom designs a product range fit for purpose across a variety of applications. The manufacturing process must accommodate the low volume, high variability built into the differentiated product range.

“Our employees must therefore be capable of applying their business and engineering skills cross-functionally and understanding all stages of the value chain,” Robert added.

“Our new program has helped us fill the gaps left by retiring employees but garner their experience and skills prior to their departure to develop younger PACCAR staff.”

“We are delighted with the results we are achieving and with the recognition of being a finalist in this award.”

The AHRI Awards is Australia’s most prestigious HR awards program that recognises and celebrates HR excellence, with each award category independently judged by an advisory panel of global leaders from HR and business. The awards will be announced on Wednesday 29 November.